3 Olive Oil Quick Tips

My secret ingredient when cooking and baking is olive oil. Here are my three favorite quick-tips:

1. For fish dishes, I brush olive oil on salmon or tilapia, then sprinkle on various combinations of spices – chili powder and brown sugar, Chinese five-spice and ginger, or rosemary and garlic salt. You can get creative and come up with your own combination, too. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish) and it's done! The olive oil keeps the fish moist and provides something for the spices to stick to.


2. I also love olive oil for bread dipping. Pour a little olive oil in a small dish or saucer. Then add ready-made seasoning blends or create your own from your spice cabinet. Italian spices are great, such as oregano or parsley. Add Parmesan cheese for extra flavor. Any kind of crusty roll or breadstick works well.


3. I also sometimes use olive oil instead of vegetable oil when baking. The tip works best for cupcakes and brownies - just use the same amount of olive oil that the recipe states for vegetable oil. It makes them extra moist and flavorful while making them just a tad healthier at the same time.

What are your favorite ways to use olive oil?

Elle Meyer, author of Living the Thin Life, focuses on healthy and low-calorie cooking. By integrating healthy but tasty tips into all her meals, she can "live the thin life" without feeling like she's dieting all the time. Elle will be regularly contributing simple weight maintenance tips to FunnySpoon.com, which is perfect because "simple" is our middle name.